Apple's latest innovation is a live concert venue unlike any other. Located in a decommissioned coal-fired power plant, the new space doubles as a recording and broadcasting studio – complete with a spatial audio setup.
Set to open next week, the Apple Music Hall at Battersea Power Station has room for 600 people in front of a 38-foot-wide stage. The venue can be reconfigured from the traditional setup for "in-the-round experiences."
There are two unusual features at the Hall. First, a 48-speaker spatial sound system surrounds the audience and delivers a more immersive listening experience.
Next, there are two professional-grade recording studios just behind the stage, built to capture performances with Spatial Audio mixes. These can be enjoyed with compatible headphones and speakers (like some from Sonos) that support this virtual surround sound technology.
The venue also allows for broadcasting live performances, thanks to a setup that supports 16 or more cameras. A dedicated broadcast control room helps manage everything, allows for mixing video captured with iPhones alongside the usual high-end broadcast cameras, and streams shows worldwide from London.
The space was designed by Apple's in-house team, and includes several nods to the industrial facility it occupies. You'll see that in the art deco-style illuminated arches and bronze balconies in front of the stage, and old-school brickwork.
The building itself might look familiar to Pink Floyd fans – it was on the cover of the legendary band's 1977 record, Animals. Located on the banks of the River Thames and completed in 1955, Battersea Power Station was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott.
It's said to be one of the largest brick buildings in the world. The facility was decommissioned over years starting in 1975 and shut for about 40 years. Later on, it was redeveloped as a commercial mixed-use property for shops, restaurants, and office spaces – including Apple's UK headquarters and an Apple Store – before being opened up in 2022.
Apple's done great work to promote its Music streaming service by showcasing fantastic artists over the years. Presenter Zane Lowe has conducted loads of candid interviews with new and established musicians, and the company's Los Angeles studio has captured dozens of memorable performances for posterity. The new space will facilitate even more of this good stuff.
Sign up for updates on ticketed events once it opens to the public on September 28, on the Apple Music Hall site.
Source: Apple
